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A bit of EastEnders
This one-shot is a fictional story of a newcomer coming to Albert Square in the fictional world of the UK soap opera, EastEnders. Scene Outside of the Walford East tube station. A man steps out into the daylight from the darkness of the Tube. He is carrying a small black shoulder bag, and trundling some awkward luggage. He is looking somewhat around at the new situation he has been brought into. He is askance at the surroundings, but at the same time, he feels like he has come home. He is a good guy, a bit rotund, and had he been a woman, he would have been considered matronly. His brownish-blond hair glistened like silk in the sun, and he was dressed in a very interesting ensemble, a tanktop over a t-shirt, and a becoming pair of jeans. A man of similar age comes up to him. It is Ian Beale. Ian recognizes him on sight. IAN: Albs, ya made it, mate. I'm glad. ALBERT: Thanks, Ian, the Picadilly stop was a wait and a half, let me tell ya. IAN: Are you used to it? ALBERT: Compared to Cleveland, London is paradise. I am actually glad t' be 'ere. (Ian smiles.) IAN: Picked up the cockney tongue, eh? ALBERT: Kind of. I might not ever be considered true cockney, since I wasn't born around the Bow Bells, but it's a whole lot better than Cleveland. Ya pick up the dialect being around the place. IAN: How's your family? ALBERT: Aunt Bette is well, and so're me cousins. Jacqueline told me to tell ya all hello. She's the one who sold me on the area. IAN: Thank you, mate. Should we take a look around? ALBERT: I'd love that, thank you. IAN: May I? ALBERT: Of course. (Ian helps Albert with his bags and they set off towards Albert Square. He is enthralled.) IAN: Right over there is the Vic. Our main meeting place. We have to get ya in there for a drink. Not to mention a meal. ALBERT: I'd love that, my favorite drink is a Mimosa. IAN: What's that? ALBERT: A mix of champagne and orange juice. It's also good with lemon-lime fizzy drink too. My cousin Gareth got me hooked, but I also love cosmopolitans. IAN: Sounds good. Here's where I live. And believe me, you're doing me a favor by staying with me. With Jane gone, I am lonely nowadays and you'll give me some needed company. ALBERT: My pleasure, Ian. We gotta stick together. (Along comes a tall man with a shorter dark haired woman. Also with him was a dark haired teenager along with three small children. He comes from the nearby Street market) MAN: Ian, I can see our mate has arrived. IAN: That he has, Martin. Albert Wallace, you do remember my cousin, Martin Fowler. ALBERT: Yes, I do, Jacqueline spoke often of your mum, Pauline. MARTIN: Glad to hear it, pal. This'll be great for ya and we'll make the transition easy. This bunch is my family. My oldest daughter, Bex, Rebecca; my wife, Stacey and my three youngest, Lily, Arthur and Hope. (Bex gives Albert a smile)'' ALBERT: Nice to meet all of you. BEX: Welcome to Walford. LILY: Hi, there. (Stacey notices Albert's nervousness, and she smiles in reassurance.) STACEY: Nice to meet you too. Martin and Ian have been looking forward to this. They have spoken of nothing else all week. ALBERT: I have to admit, I am a bit nervous. STACEY: I can tell, love. And I understand it. Coming into a new environment. Well, don't worry, ya got us. IAN: My mum is at the cafe. She can't wait to meet you too. Come along, we'll get a meal in ya. ALBERT: Thank you, Ian. I appreciate all this. IAN: You're welcome, mate. (He puts his arm around his friend) And you wil be all right. I promise you that. ''(Another woman comes to the assembled group. Like Ian and Martin, she is a native.) MARTIN: Hello, Sharon. SHARON: Hello there. So this is our new neighbor? IAN: Yes, you remember Jacqueline Thorold, who worked with Auntie Pauline at the Launderette? SHARON: I do. IAN: This is her cousin, Albert Wallace. He just moved here from Cleveland. Jacqueline got him a place here in the Square, but it wasn't ready and won't be ready for a while. For the time being, he's staying with me, I could use the company, since Jane is gone. Albs, this is Sharon Watts Mitchell. MARTIN: She's a long-time friend of my family. Her parents used to be the landlords of the Vic. Sharon is my sister, Michelle's best mate. SHARON: Nice to meet you, Albert. ALBERT: Nice to meet you as well, Sharon. Jacqueline told me all about things and what to expect. SHARON: Where are you all off to? IAN: The Caf. Mum's makin' Albs a meal. ALBERT: Yeah, my cooking's not really good. Ian is going to teach me, but I am so wiped out from getting here. SHARON: Drinks at the Vic in an hour, k? Albert, the drinks are on me. EVERYONE: Right. (An hour later, Albert and the others are at the Queen Vic, the local pub. He is with Ian, Sharon, Martin, and Sharon's husband Phil Mitchell. He is not pleased. Sharon glares at her husband.) PHIL: Why are we doing this? SHARON: Phil, he is new here, and we're going to help him get to know his new home. PHIL: Go ahead and play welcome wagon, I am not going to do it. I am going home. SHARON: On your own head be it, then! (Phil leaves) IAN: That was rather rude of him. SHARON: Pay him no notice, Albs. He had no call to be so rude. ALBERT: Thanks, Sharon. (A man comes up to Ian and the table. He is very nice. He is the landlord.) MAN: Hello there, you must be Albert Wallace. ALBERT: Yes, I am. MICK: I am Mick Carter, the landlord of the Vic. The lady there is my wife, Linda, and the other lady is my mum, Shirley. (Linda and Shirley glance over. Shirley nods and Linda smiles.) ALBERT: Nice to meet you all. MICK: Have a job set up? ALBERT: Yes, I have an interview at the nearby branch library, tomorrow. So, that will be good. MICK: Good man. Hope you feel welcome here. SHARON: A toast, to Albert Wallace, our new friend and neighbor. (The entire group raises their glasses) Scene Two Next day. Albert is coming back from his interview. He got the job but he's also going to work at the used book store at the same location to suppliment the income. Another lady comes up. Her name is Kat Slater. She is Stacey's cousin. And she is angry. She is looking around the square. KAT: Where'd ya go off to, Nan? You can't hide from me forever. (Albert is startled) ALBERT: Oh! KAT: Sorry, love. Tryin' to find that thievin' Nan of mine. Mo Harris. ALBERT: I've not seen her. What happened? KAT: The thievin' bint took our Tiff's laptop. (Albert produces a laptop that had been at the library) ALBERT: Could this be said laptop? (Kat is pleased.) KAT: You found it! Ta! Where was it? ALBERT: One of me new co-workers found it and turned it in at library. I told them I would find the owner, since I live here. KAT: Thank you. Tiff lives there, with me and Stace. ALBERT: Lead the way, my dear. KAT: With pleasure. (The two arrive and Albert gives Tiff her laptop.) TIFF: Thank you. ALBERT: Actually thank my co-worker, Issac. He found it in one of the study rooms. TIFF: You're friends with Martin, aren't ya? ALBERT: Yes, I am. TIFF: I'm Tiffany Jackson. Bex is me cousin. ALBERT: Ok. TIFF: Thanks again. ALBERT: My pleasure. KAT: You deserve a reward. Any plans? ALBERT: Just plenty exhausted from the interview and then my shift at the used bookstore. Put me to work right away, they did. Ian and I are looking to have a drink and some dinner at the cafe. Quiet night for me. KAT: Come on over tomorrow after work. We can make ya dinner tomorrow. ALBERT: Good idea. Ian is teaching me how to cook. KAT: All right. Ta again for bringing Tiff's laptop. ALBERT: My pleasure. (Albert leaves, he passes an older woman. It's Mo. He heads swiftly back to 45.) MO: You didn't see me. ALBERT: No, I didn't. (Mo is caught by Kat. She is being chased around the garden) KAT: You're askin' for it, Nan, nickin' Tiff's laptop. (Albert shakes his head. He sits down in the sitting room. Ian notices something up.) IAN: Are ya all right, Albs? ALBERT: Just tired, hard day at work, and I am feeling a bit homesick, I am afraid. IAN: It's all right, mate. I understand. (Ian and Albert sit together and they relax. Ian gives his mate a hug as the scene fades). Category:Miscellany